A hi-hat is a popular percussion instrument that has found acceptance in a wide variety of musical applications including jazz and rock and roll and in a variety of venues including concert halls and marching band events. The hi-hat includes a pair of cymbals that are movable with respect to each other, with movement controlled by actuation of a foot pedal. A drumstick or brush often is used in conjunction with the cymbals to create a desired sound.
A prior art hi-hat stand 10 is shown in FIG. 1. Stand 10 has an upper movable cymbal 11, a lower stationary cymbal 11a, an internal, longitudinally movable support pipe 12 that supports the lower stationary cymbal 11a, and an external stationary tube 14 around the pipe 12 and supported on a tripod 13. A foot pedal 16 is connected to the lower end of an operating rod 17, which in turn is connected to upper cymbal 11. Pedal 16 moves operating rod 17 and upper cymbal 11 up and down. Operating rod 17 is coaxially and internally disposed with respect to support pipe 12 as well as slidable with respect thereto. Thus, foot pedal 16 operates movable cymbal 11 against stationary cymbal 11a. A cymbal receiving support 20 for stationary lower cymbal Ha is provided on top of pipe 12. Lower stationary cymbal 11a is maintained to face open upward while upper movable cymbal 11 faces open downward and opposes stationary lower cymbal 11a. Upper movable cymbal 11 may be urged away from lower stationary cymbal 11a by a spring (not shown) on or near to and connected to operating rod 17.
A clutch may be used to control the height of the upper cymbal coupled to the operating rod.
A variety of devices are known for linking foot pedal 16 to upper cymbal 11, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,905,565 and 6,747,200 B2. As explained therein, operating rod 17 may be directly connected with foot pedal 16 using a chain, or alternatively operating rod 17 and foot pedal 16 may be connected using a rotary member that utilizes a differential lever operation principle.
Many other devices are known for operably associating a pair of cymbals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 238,465 to White is directed to a toy cymbal in which a pair of miniature cymbals are strung or mounted loosely on a cord attached to a handle. When the handle is shaken, the cymbals contact one another by sliding on the cord. Other hand-held or hand-actuated cymbal pairs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 792,080, U.S. Pat. No. 1,643,553 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,939. Another device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,613,978 to Berton includes a floor engaging base section having a cymbal mounted on an upper surface thereof, a treadle hingedly connected in overlying relation to said base section and having a cymbal mounted on its under surface, and a foot strap secured to the treadle for movement of the cymbals with respect to one another. Yet another instrument design incorporating a pair of cymbals is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,810 to Crigger directed to an angularly adjustable cymbal mounting.
Despite these developments, there remains a need for a percussion apparatus in which a pair of cymbals are supported in a pivotable manner and may be actuated by a foot pedal. There further remains a need for a pair of cymbals that may be supported in a generally vertical manner and at a substantial height above a foot-actuated pedal.